XII Sunday after Pentecost - Sunday within the Octave of the Assumption of the BVM

The twelfth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of August and the Sunday within the Octave of the Assumption of the BVM.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus sung with the Doxology and melody of the Incarnation, Jesu, tibi..Qui natus etc. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Sapientia for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of August). After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. John Eudes, of St. Bernard and of the Octave of the Assumption. The Suffrage was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline. At Compline Te lucis, and all hymns of Iambic meter are sung with the Doxology of the Incarnation throughout the Octave.

At Mattins the invitatory is Dominum qui fecit nos and the Office hymn is Nocte surgentes. In the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Ecclesiasticus. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the Book of Morals by St. Gregory the Great. In the third nocturn the homily on St. Luke's Gospel is from the writings of the Venerable Bede. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Ecce jam noctis. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of St. Bernard and of the Octave of the Assumption. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. The verse in the short responsory is Qui natus es.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Bernard, the third collect is of the Octave. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Prior to the reform of 1911-13 the Sunday within the Octave of the Assumption was the feast of St. Joachim, Father of the BVM. One Mass, other than the Conventual, may be sung of the feast. The Mass Dispersit is sung in white vestments with Gloria, the second collect is of the Sunday, the third collect is of St. Bernard. The Creed is sung, the Preface is of the Holy Trinity and the last Gospel is of the Sunday.

At Vespers (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113) the Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following Office of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, of St. Bernard and of the Octave of the Assumption. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' today is the third Sunday of August. The Octave of the Assumption has been abolished. The ordinry Doxology is sung. At Vespers there were no commemorations. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations. At Mass there is a single collect. At Vespers there are no commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal